Remove Altruistics Service

Altruistics is a crypto miner, promoted as a service that allows users to use their computer’s resources to mine cryptocurrency that gets donated to charitable causes. However, this miner is reportedly being distributed via deceptive methods, and users are installing it unknowingly. The way crypto miners work is that they use the computer’s resources to mine for cryptocurrencies, and that is very resource-intensive, leaving the computer practically unusable while it’s happening. While Altruistics claims to only mine when the computer is not being used, that is unlikely to be true. As is the claim that they donate to charities. The service is likely operated by scammers who want to make money for themselves.

 

 

Altruistics Service may be advertised as a service that allows users to use their unused computer time to mine for crypto, but considering it enters computers using deceptive methods, it’s likely operated by malicious actors. Crypto mining behaviour is very noticeable, so these scammers may be counting on users allowing the infection to remain if they claim it’s for a good cause, like donating to charities.

Due to the nature of cryptominers, their presence is immediately noticeable because the computer becomes practically unusable. If users open their Task Managers when Altruistics is installed, they will see an Altruistics process using a lot of CPU (up to 90% in many cases). Any unknown process using this many computer resources usually means a crypto miner of some kind. This causes the device to slow down to a very noticeable extent, to the point where everything takes a very long time to load. Programs would take a significant time to launch and would crash randomly, and there may be issues with the Internet.

While cryptomining short term is not likely to cause damage, long term, it could result in permanent damage to the device. It’s very unlikely that Altruistics is actually donating what it mines using your device’s resources to charities, so there is no reason to use something like Altruistics Service, especially if you did not install it knowingly.

How do crypto miners enter a computer?

Because Altruistics is promoted as a legitimate service, it’s not impossible that some users installed it themselves. However, there are plenty of reports on the Internet from users who do not recall installing anything with such capabilities. Altruistics likely uses deceptive installation methods to sneak into users’ computers.

Crypto miner malware frequently infiltrates users’ computers through illegally downloaded software and content, such as pirated movies and TV shows. Users who engage in piracy significantly increase their chances of encountering malware. When users do not want to pay for programs, they resort to using cracks, which provide unauthorized access to these programs without payment. However, websites and forums offering these cracks are often rife with malware, including crypto mining infections. Furthermore, downloading pirated media like movies, TV shows, and video games via torrents carries substantial risks due to the high prevalence of malware in these files. It’s important to understand that by engaging in piracy, users not only commit theft but also jeopardize the security of their devices and even their data.

Another prevalent method for spreading malware is through malicious email attachments. Malicious emails can introduce various types of malware onto the computer, and simply opening an attached file can result in an infection. Therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution with unsolicited emails that contain attachments or links. Always verify the sender’s identity to ensure authenticity. Watch out for grammar or spelling mistakes, as legitimate emails typically do not contain such mistakes. Even if an email appears to be from a trustworthy source, it’s advisable to scan any attachments with anti-malware software or use VirusTotal. If there’s any uncertainty about the safety of an attachment, it’s safest to refrain from opening it until it has been thoroughly checked.

It may also be bundled with free programs as an extra offer in what’s known as the software bundling method. The way this method works is that certain infections (usually adware or browser hijackers, or in this case, a crypto miner) can be added to popular free programs as extra offers. These offers are technically optional, but they need to be manually deselected to prevent them from installing alongside the program. Because they are initially hidden, many users simply do not notice them and are thus unable to deselect them.

To avoid installing junk onto your computer, you need to choose the correct settings when installing free programs. Specifically, you need to use Advanced (Custom) settings. Unlike Default, Advanced settings will display all added offers and allow you to deselect them. All offers should be deselected as legitimate programs do not use software bundling.

How to remove Altruistics Service

Because it is a pretty serious infection, we recommend using an anti-virus program to remove Altruistics Service. You can try to delete Altruistics Service manually, though that may be tricky and time-consuming. Once the miner is gone, your computer will go back to normal.